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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Oiling My Rack? :)

Hi Guys

Basically I am still trying to find a way to oil my steering rack!

How do you guys approach this mythical part of the maintenance schedule as I cannot find a gun that would work?
R Williams

You could always grease it instead? Especially if it's a later rack.
Jeremy Tickle

I've got a 1977 1500 so I've pumped in a bit of grease via the grease nipple. Years ago I had a little oil-gun (like a grease gun but smaller and with better seals) that could deliver oil through a grease nipple. The other way is to jack one side of the car up reasonably high, loosen the rubber boot on the low side and drain the old oil. Then do the boot up and undo the boot on the high side and squirt the oil in from there. It's a pain but you don't have to do it very often!
Nick Nakorn

The early racks used oil up to 1971 ??? The graitors will be the same size on both sides

The later rack used grease post 1971... the graitors will not be the same for both sides

To oil the earlier rack pre 71, is easy, ... get 4 lock zip ties ... 2 per side, remove the old clamp on the rubber graitor use a funnel with a long hose and postion into the rack and pour the gear oil into the rack re attach the gaitor to the rack and secure with zip ties repeat other side and steer rack backnqnd forth to distrubute the oil in the rack

Or... there is a way to convert a grease gun into an oil gun, ...remove the spring and lever parts of the gun seal off hole where the lever came out the bottom with a rubber washer and a bolt/nut, fill with oil and reattach the pump squirter to the gun turn upside down hook up hose to zerk fitting and pump oil in

The gun is a waste and just manual filling the rack thur the graitor is easy to do, but if you got a spare gun to waste space yeah sure why not

Prop
Prop and the Blackhole Midget

You could take the cap, spring and damper out, and pour the oil in.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Nick, is there access to do that on earlier cars? Getting to it on mine would be difficult: radiator out etc...
Nick Nakorn

Rylan,
what makes you think it needs oiling anyway, they seem to last a very long time without attention anyway
Nigel Atkins

Undo the clip on one of the rack gaitors on the small end.
Get a piece of hose to fit your oil can.
Shove the piece of hose in the gaitor.
Pump in oil until it squirts out.
Job done
Onno K

Nigel,
page 61 point (13) or (15) of the MG midget Mk III Handbook!
I am surprised!

Jeremy Tickle

http://www.practicalmachinist.com/vb/general/convert-grease-gun-oil-152236/
S.A. Jones

https://web.archive.org/web/20061213062611/http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/oilgun/gunconvert.html
S.A. Jones

I can on the Frog, Nick. And on the Mk2 Sprite I used to have.
Nick and Cherry Scoop

Jeremy,
very good, pages 61 and 62 for Rylan's car

but Rylan's not had his car three years and wouldn't do 30,000 miles in a decade so what makes him think it needs doing but I can't argue with your excellent logic :)
Nigel Atkins

You are right there Nigel, I was wondering as I have no idea when it was last done.
R Williams

Rylan,
ask the previous owner or perhaps Alan might know
Nigel Atkins

I'd say if the steering is smooth, and there are no oil/grease leaks around either end of the gaitors, it doesn't need attention. :). Although I suppose it could dry out to some extent.

BTW, does anyone know the specific reason that the lubrication changed from oil to grease?
Lawrence Slater

Possible solution from Harbor Freight?

http://www.harborfreight.com/oil-suction-gun-95468.html

If it can "suck" - then it can probably "pump"...

Cheers!
Mike Pelone

This thread was discussed between 07/08/2014 and 10/08/2014

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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